You can now finally just waltz inside your nearest brick-and-mortar Apple Store and pick up an iPad mini with Retina display, an indication of Apple slowly buy surely catching up to demand, despite the shortages which are expected to ease in Q1 2014.

When Apple quietly and rather unceremoniously put the device on sale on November 12, it limited availability to online orders-only, which customers could either have shipped or picked up personally at a desired Apple Store.

Following a surprise launch last week that saw Apple’s retail stores offering the new Retina iPad mini only for Personal Pickup of online orders, the company’s stores have now begun selling the device to walk-in customers.

Supplies do, however, remain extremely tight, and thus ordering online for Personal Pickup to secure a specific model is still advised.

Cantor Fitzgerald analyst Brian White corroborated Slivka’s report, writing in Friday’s note to clients that a number of New York City stores have received shipments for walk-in customers.

Apple’s now updated the wording on the iPad retail page to remove mentions of mandatory Personal Pickup requirement, here’s what it reads now:

Buy it now at your favorite Apple Retail Store. Or buy online and pick it up in the store. Either way, we’ll set it up just the way you like.

It seems not all stores offer walk-in sales as Apple is gradually filling up the channel.

Therefore, your best bet is to simply give your store a buzz and ask about Retina iPad mini availability. Since cellular models have only recently arrived in stores, not all capacities, wireless flavors and colors may be available as Apple continues to fine-tune and ramp up manufacturing.

If you’re ordering your Retina iPad mini online, count on 5-10 business day shipping estimates for all models (that’s nothing compared to delivery quotes by major U.S. telcos). Those opting for in-store pickup may find the Personal Pickup option unavailable during the online Apple Store’s checkout process – again, due to the ongoing supply-demand imbalance.

Finally, you may want to track device availability using web tools (here and here).

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I bought mine on the day it came out and it was delivered 2 days later from China to the UK.

diggitydang

Damn you. Hahaha. Salt in the wound!!

Bob

What did you get the Air or the mini?

diggitydang

Mini… Wanted the first gen but waited because I wanted retina.

Bob

Same here.

I’m still debating whether I should of gone for the full size air though.

diggitydang

Personal preference. I find the Mini so much more comfortable to hold… I hated writing emails on my iPad 3, even with split keyboard… And reading lying down made the larger iPad a bit awkward. It’s nice to have the big screen for viewing movies though. Anyway, good luck with yours!

CASEACE79

Bought mine the day after release for in store pick up. Love it.

butterfield

My iPad mini retina has been sitting in Hong Kong for days according to UPS tracking…it still says it will be delivered to me in Toronto in 5 days, but it isn’t moving (?) I’m getting antsy…

quitcherbichinn

Bought it on the 12th online and picked it up in store an hour later. LOVE it! Loved the first mini but the retina mini…SO much better!

appleyay

been on sale

2008crna

I was able to buy a 32 Gb, Wifi only, iPad Mini w/ retina online on the Nov 21 in Houston, TX and I picked it up 2 hours later at an Apple store. I didn’t even realize there were supply constraints. Now the Cellular versions, that is a different story. No same day pickup there.

Sandy Cook

“now allowing”

You are still so gay it’s funny

Phil Gamboa

Because of this article, I was able to go to my local store and swap my wife’s 16gb Wi-Fi only to a Silver 32GB AT&T model. Thanks iDB!! Wife is happy now.